Phone tracking · iPhone
How to check your iPhone for tracking
Updated September 2026
Apple has put most of what you need in one place, and it takes about 15 minutes. Work through these steps in order. The first three catch the vast majority of iPhone tracking.
Short answer
Open Settings > Privacy & Security > Safety Check. It shows who you share your location and data with and which devices are signed in to your Apple Account, and lets you stop all of it. Then check VPN & Device Management for profiles you didn’t install, and change your passcode and Apple Account password.
If you might be in danger, read what to do first before changing settings, since the other person may notice.
1. Run Safety Check
- Open Settings > Privacy & Security > Safety Check.
- Manage Sharing & Access lets you review, person by person and app by app, what you share, and stop what you don’t want.
- Emergency Reset immediately stops sharing with everyone, signs out other devices, and resets app privacy permissions. Use it if you need a clean break fast.
2. See who has your location in Find My
- Open the Find My app and tap People.
- Everyone listed can see your location. Tap a name and choose Stop Sharing My Location for anyone who shouldn’t have it.
- Also check Messages: open a conversation, tap the person’s name, and look for a location-sharing option that’s turned on.
More on this, including Google Maps and Life360: every kind of location sharing.
3. Check your Apple Account devices and password
- Open Settings and tap your name at the top.
- Scroll to the list of devices. Tap any you don’t recognize and choose Remove from Account.
- Change your Apple Account password, and turn on two-factor authentication if it isn’t on.
- Check Family Sharing. Family members can share location with each other.
4. Look for device-management profiles
Open Settings > General > VPN & Device Management. If you see a profile you didn’t install and it isn’t from your employer or school, it may let someone manage or monitor the phone. Screenshot it before removing it.
5. Review apps and permissions
- Swipe through your App Library for apps you don’t recognize.
- In Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services, check which apps can use your location “Always.”
- Change your passcode. If someone knew it, they could unlock the phone and change settings.
6. Keep iOS updated
Go to Settings > General > Software Update. Updates close the security holes that the rare, more advanced spyware relies on.
Check your car too
Your iPhone can also help you find an AirTag hidden in your car, and our free guide covers the other trackers phones can't detect.
Common questions
+Can you get spyware on an iPhone?
It's harder than on Android. Most iPhone tracking works through someone knowing your Apple Account password, location sharing in Find My, or a device-management profile. Spyware that needs a jailbreak is rare on current iOS.
+What is Safety Check on iPhone?
A built-in iPhone tool, in Settings > Privacy & Security > Safety Check, that shows who you share location and data with and lets you stop sharing, sign out other devices, and reset privacy permissions.
+How do I know if someone is logged in to my iCloud?
Open Settings, tap your name, and scroll down to the list of devices. Any device on that list is signed in to your Apple Account. Tap one you don't recognize and choose Remove from Account, then change your password.
+Will Safety Check tell the other person?
Stopping sharing doesn't send a notification, but people may notice they can no longer see your location. If you're worried about your safety, plan before making changes.